Placard system aims to answer West Mauis access woes | News, Sports, Jobs

Police monitor entry into Lahaina at a checkpoint in Maalaea on Saturday afternoon. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

MAALAEA — Walking along the shoulder of Honoapiilani Highway, a man shouts at a caravan of cars ferrying Gov. Josh Green and FEMA officials into Lahaina town on Saturday morning.

“I know this is a f—— motorcade!” he yells. “Open it up!”

With frustrations boiling over and residents pressing for access to check on their homes and collect supplies, the Maui Police Department announced a new system on Sunday that will distribute placards to West Maui residents and workers, first responders and others who need to access the area that’s still reeling from the recent fire.

Placards may be obtained at Keopuolani Park (enter via Wahinepio Avenue, exit via Kanaloa Avenue) and Napili Park from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. starting today.

They will be issued to West Maui residents, West Maui resort personnel, first responder personnel, medical personnel, utility personnel, Maui County personnel, supply transport personnel and volunteer personnel.

Residents must show proof of residency through a driver’s license or state identification card with a West Maui address, MPD said. Identification cards without a street address will require an accompanying utility bill as proof of West Maui residency.

All personnel must show proof of employment through a valid company-issued identification card.

Volunteers will be granted 72-hour access passes. At the end of the 72 hours, a new placard will need to be obtained.

Starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, no entrance into West Maui will be allowed without a placard.

Any questions on the placards should be directed to on-site personnel at the Keopuolani and Napili parks. MPD asked people not to call dispatch via 911 or the nonemergency number to keep the lines open for emergencies and calls for service.

“Public safety personnel have been working tirelessly to coordinate a thorough and respectful body recovery operation within the affected area,” MPD said in a news release Sunday. “Our primary objective is to ensure the proper handling and identification of deceased individuals while maintaining the safety of the community and public safety personnel on the scene.”

The reopening of access to West Maui has been marked by fits and starts.

At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, officials asked for patience in returning to West Maui as they worked to recover the victims of the fire.

“I know you need to get out there,” MPD Chief John Pelletier said. “I know, I know, that you guys don’t have some of the supplies, you don’t have power. But we have to respect the fact that we’ve got loved ones in the earth and we have to do the right thing and get them out the right way. That’s going to take time. I’ll get the road open as fast as I can, but I have to do it safely.”

On Friday morning, Gov. Josh Green announced residents would be able to return to West Maui, and the county reopened access to Lahaina via Maalaea at noon, announcing a curfew and hours of access. But after an accident on Kuiheilani Highway and a brief reopening of the road, access was shut down again a little after 4 p.m., with police saying people were going into unauthorized areas of Lahaina.

When asked why officials opened the road so quickly after asking for patience and time the day before, Green said, “We advocated for the road to be open, but unfortunately we were unable to convince people to not come down into the unstable space.”

“I understand completely human nature, but we just can’t have people coming into this space,” Green said Saturday during a visit to Front Street. “There are some tragic scenes and sights that are very difficult for people to see, and also we have to honor the families that have lost loved ones and we can’t have strangers in that space.”

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said during a news conference Saturday that access has been limited to people “whose homes are still intact who have to drive the main road to get to their homes.” However, he said, people have been going into unsafe, hazardous areas.

“FEMA is here to decide for us when it may be safe for us go to back,” he said. “We’re not doing anybody any favors by letting them back in there quickly just so they can go get sick.”

As of Sunday afternoon, the county was using a limited system of access — entry was allowed via Kahakuloa for West Maui residents and via Maalaea for pre-approved supply and outreach services only. Exit was allowed via Maalaea but closed via Kahakuloa.

* Managing Editor Colleen Uechi can be reached at cuechi@mauinews.com.

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